the importance of being earnest (and writing about it)

Approximately nine years ago, I went to see one of my favorite bands, and their bass player jumped off the stage after their set and introduced himself to me. A little while later, I wrote him this email. It's a little too honest and it's a little too exhuberant and it's a little embarrassing - but if I had never written it, I'd have gone through these nine years without one of my closest friends.

I share it here because I'm pretty sure the best things come from being a little too honest or a little too embarrassing, and I am more likely to forget this fact than anyone.

[He said this morning, about the below, "this is not nerdy. who doesn't dream of the job of being understood!"]

Hey Matt -

First of all, I have to preface this email with the following. (It turns out to be relevant, honest.)

The Posies have been my favorite band for about five years - and while that made me somewhat a latecomer in terms of the band's lifespan, what I lost in time I have always made up for in enthusiasm. And when Ken Stringfellow's first solo record came out at the end of 1997, I shut my ears to all the negative reviews because what *I* heard in that record was more than the wankery of which he was accused. I heard a lo-fi and heartfelt album full of bedroom songs and one of the most sincere broken hearts I've ever encountered, offset by the kind of disjointed drum tracks that splice through the thoughts in our heads. It made sense to me when not much else did, just as the Posies always have; it was there for me when I needed it, and I sometimes feel like that, above all, is what transforms a good record into an amazing one.

So of *course* I was ready and waiting for his 2001 release when it came out - a combination of songs I'd already attached myself to long ago mixed with newer and even more promising stuff; I knew that "Touched" would be as fully developed and carefully thought out as it deserved to be. I knew that if there was one thing that I could count on this year, it would be the excellence of that record, and I knew that it would make me smile and cry at the same time, which is always the true test of what matters musically.

And I wasn't disappointed - at all. The new record met and then exceeded my expectations, and I'm still as in love with that voice as I always was. This was never in question.

Here's where the point of this story comes in: I've been caught off-guard. Because I know that at the end of the year when I sit down and write a rambling review of the year's amazing music that only my best friend will give a shit about, not one but *two* albums will be above Ken Stringfellow on that numbered list. The first is one that, frankly, I'd expected - because it's been a while since Drip broke up, and because it would never even occur to Andy LeMaster to create anything less than perfect and Now It's Overhead proves that point with ease.

The second album in question is "The Convenience of Indecision," by this little band called Sorry About Dresden who I've loved since first listen, and whose new album I knew would be really good, but...this is so much more than that. This is "I'm not even going to tell you how long this has been on repeat in my stereo because I try not to frighten people" good. And it's here for me when I need it.

So basically I just wanted to say thanks, firstly, to the Dresdens in general for being the Dresdens.

All of that said, I would also happen to be the girl known to far too many people as "Sienna's best friend," and the first girl to bug you about that Drip radio show (as opposed to Stephanie from WI, who I don't actually know, but I think we've now embarrassed poor Sienna by accident), and I don't think I ever actually introduced myself at the NJ show, so hi, I'm Sarah. Anyway, would you still be willing to make me a copy of the show? I would be happy to send you blanks in return, or I could trade if there's anything I have that you might want a copy of. I don't have much in the way of boots, and I'm not sure how big of a Posies fan you are, but I have a few decent shows of theirs.

So let me know, and thank you, and if this is really incoherent or I've written it in Greek or something it's because I'm horribly sick and I am on so much cold medication I can barely see straight and I'm having one of those nights where I wish I'd never heard the words "grad school". Hope the rest of the tour went well and Matty's head is okay.

-s.